A/N: I'm sorry for the very long wait, guys/gals/whatever. I know I said I would try to update as frequently as I could, but that didn't work out so much for me. To be honest, all I had actually planned out were the first few chapters. Plus, I'm a slow typer, so... I guess that will be my excuse to pardon my laziness!Heh heh!...
Ahem! Anyway, Read and enjoy!;)
Chapter Two: Stuck On an Adventure
The early morning sun filtered through the parlor window, waking Frodo. Getting up out of the chair he had took sleep in the night before, he groaned. All of his muscles ached in response.
"Hello?" Frodo froze, hearing his uncle shuffle around in the next room over, the kitchen. "Oh! You're still here."
"Yeah," Frodo replied, noting the still disheveled look of sleep his uncle showed. "I just awoke. I haven't missed much, have I?"
"That would depend upon how long ago my many dwarf guests have left," said Bilbo, stepping fully into the room. Something must have caught his interest, for he bent over the footrest to his favorite chair. He picked up a long, folded paper. Joining him, Frodo peered over his uncle's shoulder at the paper. "What's that?"
"This is the contract for my employment as a…a," Bilbo glanced at the other hobbit and quietly replied, "… A burglar… Your friend, Sam signed it. And look! There's a place for you to sign it, too."
At the mentioning of the pudgy hobbit, Frodo realized Sam's absence. He snatched the paper from Bilbo's hands. Sure enough, Sam's signature was scribbled under the space where Bilbo was supposed to sign. Flopping back down into the chair he had slept in, Frodo felt quite lost. Sam had gone on an adventure all on his own, without Frodo.
Bilbo gently took back the contract. "I'm sure the others haven't been gone long… So, want to join the Company?"
. . .
"Wait! You can't just run off like that!" Frodo yelled at his uncle, but Bilbo was already out the door. The young hobbit grunted, taking note of the abandoned handkerchief that sat upon the side table next to the door. Remembering the beginning of his old uncle's tale on how he first joined the company and forgot to bring a handkerchief along, Frodo pocketed the cloth and bolted out the door.
As Frodo chased after Bilbo, he spotted the other hobbit already far ahead. Frodo jumped over a fence that kept a cow at bay. Dashing wildly down the road, he could hear his uncle reply to a curious hobbit. "I'm already late!"
"Late for what?"
"We're going on an adventure!" Frodo shouted, getting a few odd looks from the other. "Err- Good morning!"
Frodo caught up to Bilbo who carelessly let fly the contract in his hand. As they entered the forest outside of Hobbiton, they could see Thorin's company up ahead. "Wait! Wait!" Bilbo called out. To Frodo's surprise, the train of ponies halted immediately.
"We've signed it," Bilbo and Frodo puffed together as they fell into step with the group. Frodo, bent over by exhaustion, watched his uncle hand over the long line of paper to Balin. After a moment of silently inspecting the contract, the old dwarf rumbled happily, "Everything appears to be in order. Welcome master Baggins and master Frodo to the company of Thorin Oakenshield."
"Someone, give them a pony," Thorin said, steering his own back onto the trail. Both hobbits were picked up and placed none too gently onto an already over-burdened pony, Frodo stuck behind his young uncle who protested all the way. As the company continued their journey, Sam trotted up to them upon a black Shetland pony. "Mr. Frodo, I'm so glad you could make it with us! I'm so sorry I left without you. You see, the dwarves, they were just up and leavin' at the first light of dawn and I couldn't say no to goin' along."
Frodo smiled reassuringly to the pudgy hobbit that was about to cry. "It's alright, Sam. We're all stuck on this adventure now, that's all that counts."
While he had said this, Frodo watched a few small bags of what looked to be coins fly through the air. He heard his uncle ask Gandalf, who was on the other side of them, "What's all this money tossing about?"
"Well, master Baggins, there was a running bet on if you two would show or not," the wizard replied. With a mischievous wink, he pocketed a coin bag that was thrown at him. "I didn't doubt you two for a second."
"Well, that's reas- Ashoo!" Bilbo burst into a sneezing fit. He riffled through his pockets, grumbling under his breath.
"Here," Frodo, remembering the handkerchief he pocketed before he left Bag End, passed the cloth to the other hobbit, who took it with a couple of mumbled "Thanks." Yet, before Bilbo could use it, an unexpected bird swooped down and snatched the kerchief away in its talons. The surprised hobbit sneezed out yells of annoyance. "Stop, stop! We have to turn around."
Not at all to Frodo's surprise, the rest of the company, except for Bofur, ignored him. The hatted dwarf ripped off a piece of his grimy shirt and tossed it at the hobbit. "Here, use this."
Oh, if only Frodo could see the look of disgust on his uncle's face!
Sam and Frodo shared a glance of amusement, while Gandalf urged his horse towards the front. "You'll have to manage without handkerchiefs as well as many other things, Bilbo Baggins, before we reach our journey's end. Home is now behind you. The world is ahead."
Yes, well, that's not the only thing ahead of us, Frodo thought, noticing that he and Bilbo were already at the back of the group, and getting left farther and farther behind. Frodo tapped his uncle's shoulder. "Hey, we're at the back of the company. We're getting left behind."
"I can see that," Bilbo shot an annoyed glance back at the other hobbit.
"Can't we go any faster?"
"No. I don't like riding on things; can't really trust that the steed would keep its passengers safe."
"Hmmm," Frodo sighed. This is going to be a long ride.
. . .
It was a long while before the company stopped to make camp for the night. As the last rays of the sun shot through the nearby forest, Thorin called a halt to the travellers. He gave the dwarves orders to fulfill, as he and Gandalf checked out their site of rest: the remains of a burnt and abandoned house upon a hill.
Bilbo slipped off the pony he and Frodo had shared. He smiled, feeling a little dizzy, but happy that the earth was back under his feet again. As it should be, he thought.
"Oi, Bilbo! Want to help us round up the ponies?" Kili called out, following his brother.
"Sure," the hobbit replied. At that moment, Gandalf marched past him, heading down the hill. The wizard seemed to be in a harsh and annoyed rush. "Everything alright?" Bilbo asked. "Gandalf, where are you going?"
"To seek the company of the only one around here who's got any sense," came the reply.
"And who's that?"
"Myself, Mr. Baggins!" Gandalf shouted behind him, mumbling something else that the hobbit couldn't distinguish.
"Ah, don't worry about him," Fili said, nodding at the departing wizard as he walked up to Bilbo. He took the reins of the hobbit's pony. "I've watched them, Gandalf and Uncle Thorin, clash heads before, but they both come back as friends after awhile, when they, as strong-willed leaders, cool down. Now, I've got Myrtle, you can go get Minty."
"Who?"
"Minty, the white pony over by Frodo and Sam," the blond dwarf prince nodded to the pair of hobbits conversing next to the mare. He then led Myrtle away, leaving Bilbo to go collect the other pony.
"What?!" Bilbo heard Sam exclaim loudly. Frodo half whispered, "Shh! Don't be so loud!"
His curiosity piqued, Bilbo quietly snuck over to Minty. He then pretended to fuss over the white mare's mane, straining his ears to listen in on the hushed conversation the other hobbits were engaged in on the other side. He peered over the pony's back, trying to get a glimpse at them. Minty, who didn't seem to like being a wall for private talks, snorted a complaint into Bilbo's ear. The hobbit frowned, whispering back, "Shh!"
"So, from what you're sayin', Mr. Frodo, is that that bird who made off with Mr. Bilbo's kerchief is most likely not a coincidence?" Sam asked. Frodo nodded, "I think the Valar, or someone like them, may have something to do with it. I believe whoever sent the bird doesn't want us to interfere with past events. You haven't told anyone of our secret, did you?"
Secret? What secret? Bilbo pondered in confusion. What did these two hobbits have to hide? And what of the Valar wanting no one to change the past? Why my past, and who are these two hobbits, anyway?
"Oi! Bilbo, aren't you coming?" Kili shouted off down the hill, bringing the hobbit out of his thoughts. Bilbo took hold of Minty's reins and directed the pony toward the others. "Yeah, I'll be right there!"
If Bilbo had glanced back, he would have met Frodo and Sam's surprised and suspicious gazes.
. . .
A/N: Review. Please? Yes? No? Well, until next update... ~Snappy
